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Using a Dance Mat to Assess Inhibitory Control of Foot in Young Children
Nathália Petraconi1,2,3, Giuliana Martinatti Giorjiani2, Andressa Gouveia de Faria Saad2
1Núcleo de Pesquisa Tecnológicas (NPT), Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC), Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil.
Frontiers in Physiology
|November 5, 2019
Summary
This study introduces a fun, dance mat-based game to measure young children's ability to control foot movements, crucial for motor development. The new method enhances engagement for assessing inhibitory control in preschoolers.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Motor Control Research
- Pediatric Neurodevelopment
Background:
- Motor response inhibition is vital for preschool motor skill development.
- Assessing inhibitory control in young children, particularly foot responses, presents challenges in task selection and engagement.
- Existing methods may not be sufficiently child-friendly or tailored for foot-based inhibition tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel, child-friendly Go/No-go paradigm for assessing inhibitory control of foot responses.
- To present a dance mat protocol designed to improve engagement and feasibility in young children.
- To provide a detailed methodology for researchers studying motor inhibition in preschoolers.
Main Methods:
- A dance mat protocol was developed, incorporating a fishing game theme for Go/No-go stimuli.
- Behavioral responses were measured by recording touch latency and accuracy on the dance mat.
- The protocol details experimental setup, data collection in 3-4 year olds, and data processing steps.
Main Results:
- The dance mat Go/No-go paradigm offers a feasible method for assessing foot-based motor inhibition in preschoolers.
- Data collection and processing steps are described, with an illustrative example provided.
- The protocol demonstrates potential for reliable measurement of inhibitory control in young children.
Conclusions:
- The dance mat protocol provides a practical and engaging tool for studying the development of foot motor inhibitory control in preschoolers.
- This method can facilitate research on developmental coordination, hand-foot specialization, and sports performance.
- Future applications may include neuroimaging studies and investigations into developmental differences in inhibitory control.
